Only One Egg Left - It hatched!

[MrsDuck]

We've had a pair ducks for a few years, but this is the first time we've let Lady Duck go broody (it was sorta by accident). The short version of this painful experience is that we've lost the eggs one by one until now when there is only one live egg left. I have pulled three dead, trampled, nearly hatched ducklings out of the nest in the past couple of days and I feel like I have to give this one a chance since she doesn't seem to know what to do when they start to come out. I *really* wanted to let her just do her thing and not interfere - we didn't even candle them or touch them the past 3 1/2 weeks - only peeked in when she got up for a snack and bath.

The egg is pipping - and seems to be making some progress as the cracks are very slowly spreading. (Watched eggs don't hatch, do they?)

We don't have any of the right equipment, so right now I have it in my tiny "greenhouse" that I use for starting seeds with a heating pad under the glass and the egg on top of a damp kitchen towel. The thermometer/hydrometer reads 80 degrees/90% humidity. It is supposed to be 97 here today, and we don't have AC so there's only so much I'm going to be able to do about the temperature (I'll turn off the heating pad as the house warms up), but it seems like the humidity is high. This is with the lid open on the house.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

(edited to add pictures)

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

good luck! i have no clue.

 

[katharinad]

The temp is way to low. Add a light bulb onto the side of the glass to increase the heat. Humidity can be reduced by reducing the surface exposed to the air. Simply fold the towel under or cover parts of it with a dry one. Make sure air gets into your setup. You will need a brooder for the duckling once it is out of the shell. I should not take more then 48 hours once piped. Expect less then 24 hours once it starts zipping. Keep an eye on the zipping process and be prepared to help, if it gets stuck.

 

[MrsDuck]

Thanks, katharinad. I really appreciate the advice. I thought the house was going to get a lot hotter today and that it would warm up - and it did a bit, but not as much as I hoped. So we have increased the temperature to about 94 and the humidity is now in the mid 80's. I hope the time at the lower temp will be recoverable, but I probably messed this up. The little one is tapping still. There isn't an obvious hole all the way through, but one place that might be...

How do we know when to help in the zipping? Is the time at the cooler temp going to make it more likely that it'll need help?

ARG!

 

[katharinad]

Keep an eye on the tapping. Also check the egg for a little chip or so, because it will run out of air eventually. You may have to create a small hole. After the hole is there it will take another 24-48 hours. Keep the humidity at 85% if you can. It is usually better to be on the higher end so the duck does not get shrink wrapped inside of the egg.

 

[MrsDuck]

It got an air hole through last night, and it's apparently turned a bit and is making some progress off to the side of that spot. I'll keep an eye on it and hopefully it'll be able to do it's thing. How will I know if it needs help?

It's going to be a long day...

 

[katharinad]

That's good. It's probably out by tomorrow, since they need some time working it all the way around including resting periods. Now we also know that is will not suffocate in the egg. Start talking to it, because in nature the chirping of the other ducklings will promote hatching. Keep the moisture up so the inner membrane does not shrink wrap up the duck. Sounds like it will go normally because it is working along.

 

[MrsDuck]

Here's hoping!!

I've actually been quacking at since we brought it in. It usually responds with little chirps.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Thats great news!! So often when people need to intervene at the last moment things take a turn for the worse. Heres hoping this will be one of the stories with a happy ending.

 

[MrsDuck]

So, the crack is spreading around the end of the egg, and the little one is still tapping and chirping away... Of course this process is taking WAY longer than I would like... So hard to be patient. It's just a crack, and not flaking off chips like it was at first. Is that OK?